Lebanon seeks alternative force to UNIFIL to prevent security vacuum

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said his country is seeking a security agreement with Israel to end hostilities, stressing the state's determination to ensure that all weapons remain under its control without triggering internal conflict.

According to Agence France-Presse, Aoun stated, "The goal is not confrontation; the goal is to implement this project, to extend state authority and responsibly control arms. The aim is not to build a state through internal bloodshed or strife, but to build a state without descending into civil war or internal conflict."

He added, as reported by AFP, that Lebanon wants an alternative force to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to avoid any security vacuum after its mandate ends.

The Lebanese president called for American, European, and Arab support for the Lebanese army, noting that the military is fully carrying out its duties and dismissing Israeli claims of negligence as completely unfounded.

Aoun emphasized that "the essential step is Israeli withdrawal, the deployment of the Lebanese army along the border, and the return of residents and prisoners."